In a surprising turn of events, M.A. Sumanthiran of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) announced that the party will support Sajith Premadasa in the upcoming presidential election.
This declaration on Sunday (1), however, has been contradicted by ITAK Leader Mavai Senadhiraja, who stated he was unaware of such a decision.
M.A. Sumanthiran, addressing the media, detailed the outcomes of a five-hour meeting held by the ITAK Central Working Committee in Vavuniya.
“We discussed the oncoming presidential election for five long hours and have arrived at three decisions. First, we have decided not to support P. Ariyanethran, who has been described as the Tamil common candidate. Second, we will request P. Ariyanethran to withdraw from contesting the presidential election. Third, ITAK will support Sajith Premadasa’s candidacy at the forthcoming presidential election 2024,” Sumanthiran stated.
However, Mavai Senadhiraja, the leader of ITAK, expressed his surprise at this announcement.
He explained that he was unable to attend the Central Working Committee meeting due to illness and was therefore unaware of the discussions and decisions made.
“I am not aware of the Party’s decision to support presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa,” Senadhiraja remarked, highlighting a significant communication gap within the party.
This internal disagreement within ITAK raises questions about the party’s stance as the presidential election approaches, adding another layer of complexity to the political landscape.
(newsfirst.lk)
(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by newsfirst.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)
